1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shift actuator layout structure in a vehicle including a power unit having a transmission provided in a crankcase, a shifting device configured to change a shift position in the transmission, and an actuator for operating the shifting device.
2. Description of Related Art
A shifting mechanism for a motorcycle arranged such that an electric shift actuator is used to perform shift changing (shifting) is known in the art. In the shifting mechanism of this type, the shift actuator is mounted on a crankcase of an engine on the rear side of a cylinder of the engine so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and the shift actuator is connected through a link mechanism to a shift spindle provided below the engine (see Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2010-260548, for example).
In a saddle seat type vehicle such as a motorcycle, it is necessary to ensure a foot rest space for a rider in the vicinity of an engine. Accordingly, in the aforementioned prior art, the shift actuator is mounted on the crankcase at a rear side of the cylinder, thereby using a dead space on the front upper side of a main step for supporting the feet of the rider to locate the shift actuator in this dead space.
However, in such a layout the shift actuator and the shift spindle in the shifting mechanism are located distantly from each other in a vertical direction, the link mechanism for connecting the shift actuator and the shift spindle is increased in length and it is further necessary to ensure a space for locating this link mechanism.